When x-rays are to be taken, for example, in a doctor's or dentist's office, the alignment of the x-ray equipment and the adjustment thereof to correspond to the position or location of the patient's anatomy to be x-rayed is critical. For example, for cephalometric x-rays utilized by both doctors and dentists, the patient's head must be precisely aligned between the x-ray source and the film, and the source and the film must be aligned and separated by approximately five feet.
A problem occurs, of course, because patients are obviously of different heights. Thus, in one known cephalometric x-ray machine, a large arm of at least five feet in length is motorized and is vertically movably mounted on a wall. Near one end of the arm, the film holder and a head holding device extend laterally into the room. Near the other end of the arm, an x-ray tube holder likewise extends laterally outwardly into the room. The patient merely stands adjacent to the arm and the motor is activated to position the head holding device around the patient's head.
In another known cephalometric x-ray system, the equipment is mounted in a fixed position on a wall and a chair for the patient is positioned in line with the head holder. The chair is motorized to move vertically to the proper position depending on the sitting height of the patient.
There are essentially identical drawbacks to both of these prior art systems. First, both are quite expensive. The moveable version requires a large arm and the controls to move the same. The fixed version requires the expensive moveable chair. Moreover, both versions tie up a significant amount of space in the physician's or dentist's office. The x-ray equipment takes up more than five feet of wall space and extends out into the room a significant distance--which distance is even more compounded when the chair is required. Such is a particular waste of space when it is considered that the equipment is only used occasionally, as is the case with most dentists, for example, who must have the equipment for, but only occasionally use or need, full head or cephalometric x-rays. Thus, during the vast majority of the time, these expensive devices are merely wasting valuable office space.
Therefore, the need exists for inexpensive x-ray systems, such as cephalometric x-ray systems, which are conveniently operated and which do not utilize excessive space when not in use.